equilibrium

[ē′kwə-lĭb′rē-əm]

Plural equilibriumsequilibria

PhysicsThe state of a body or physical system that is at rest or in constant and unchanging motion. A system that is in equilibrium shows no tendency to alter over time.♦ If a system is in static equilibrium, there are no net forces and no net torque in the system.♦ If a system is in stable equilibrium, small disturbances to the system cause only a temporary change before it returns to its original state.

ChemistryThe state of a reversible chemical reaction in which its forward and reverse reactions occur at equal rates so that the concentration of the reactants and products remains the same.

equilibrium

In economics, a state of the economy in which for every commodity or service (including labor), total supply and demand are exactly equal. Equilibrium is never actually attained; it is approximated by movements of the market.

Note

Keynesian economics departed from conventional economic theory in demonstrating that economic equilibrium and full employment need not occur together. Therefore, as a system tends toward equilibrium, it might not eliminate unemployment.

equilibrium

A condition in which all influences acting cancel each other, so that a static or balanced situation results. In physics, equilibrium results from the cancellation of forces acting on an object. In chemistry, it occurs when chemical reactions are proceeding in such a way that the amount of each substance in a system remains the same. (Seechemical equilibrium.)